2012 Lachini Willamette Valley Estate Pinot Noir

Well, it's the first Saturday of a new month and new year, which makes it Cellar Saturday!  This is the magical day where I raid the cellar for something at least a decade in the making, and tonight I have something a bit off the beaten path.  I bought a bottle of the 2012 Lachini Willamette Valley Estate Pinot Noir just a few months ago from Wines Till Sold Out, as it seemed a terrific bargain, so why not try some?  So, let's see what this Pinot Noir from the Chehalem Mountains of Oregon has to offer!

The wine is a deep rose color in the glass, somewhat lighter than your typical Pinot Noir.  A gentle swirl of the glass reveals aromas of strawberry, cherry, sweet lilac and hints of forest floor, a classic funky combination for this varietal.  Take a sip and you're treated to a rush of ripe cherry that cascades through your palate, transitioning easily to some earthy elements of fresh cut grass and peat midpalate.  The tannins are quite subdued, but still bring forth a delightfully dry finish that lingers lightly for a minute or more.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, and although I am not the biggest fan of Pinot Noir, I find this wine to be an interesting departure.  As for pairings, this wine would pair well with a variety of aged cheeses, earthy dishes like wild mushroom risotto, or hearty winter favorites like Yankee pot roast or hearty beef stew.  Tonight I am taking that latter approach and enjoying this wine with some braised elk and bison short ribs on creamy mashed potatoes with some oven roasted carrots.  Cheers!

2017 L'Ecole No. 41 Estate Ferguson

Happy Sunday!  It was a surprisingly productive day thanks to the weather forecasters doing their usual job of being wrong.  It was supposed to rain today, but instead it's been sunny and in the mid-50s all day, so I had a chance to clear up some branches and do my first lawn mowing of the year.  It's been six months since I last started the mower, so needless to say it took a bit of coaxing to get her started but once she got moving she ran like a champ!  I also did a little work and laundry, so now I feel like I deserve a nice glass of wine.  Tonight's wine is the latest wine club shipment from L'Ecole No. 41, the 2017 Estate Ferguson.  I've been a fan of this wine since I had the good fortune to visit the vineyard nearly seven years ago (see Tour of the Seven Hills and Ferguson Vineyards), and it's been a favorite wine ever since.  The 2017 vintage is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (60%), Merlot (28%), Cabernet Franc (7%) and Malbec (5%) from the aforementioned vineyard in the Walla Walla Valley.  So let's see how the new vintage stacks up!

The wine is a deep, inky black at the center with bright garnet along the edges, just as you'd expect from such a Cabernet heavy blend.  The nose is classic Ferguson, with leather, green grass, black cherry and a hint of mint over perfect mineral undertones.  The taste is delightfully fruit forward with a rush of tart cherry, black currant and plum that transitions to subtle notes of sage, vanilla bean and basalt midpalate.  The tannins are a bit tight, which can be expected in such a young wine, but they provide nice support for the long and exceedingly dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's just a continued solid effort from L'Ecole and this vineyard.  This wine would pair nicely with a big grilled ribeye, hearty pasta or barbecue, but tonight I'm going a different route as usual.  I went to the market yesterday to pick up some produce and I happened to notice they had leftover Smithfield smoked hams on sale for just 89 cents a pound, so how could I resist making an Easter ham a week late?  So tonight this great wine is being enjoyed with a rich, smoky ham, along with some corn bread, a baked potato and some cherry wood smoked bacon roasted asparagus.  Cheers!

2016 L'Ecole No. 41 Perigee

Happy Wine Wednesday!  Since I heard we had a Perigee moon last night and of course with a round of thunderstorms I couldn't see it, I figured I would celebrate it tonight with a bottle of one of my favorite wine blends from the Walla Walla Valley AVA of Washington, the 2016 L'Ecole No. 41 Perigee!  This wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (52%), Merlot (21%), Cabernet Franc (11%), Petit Verdot (9%) and Malbec (7%) from the Seven Hills Estate Vineyard.  So let's see what this wine has to offer!

The wine is a deep garnet color in the glass, with beautiful darkness at the center.  The nose presents aromas of mint, green grass, blackberry and plum, somewhat of a subdued Bordeaux. The taste is a rush of cool, dark fruit, with ripe black cherry, blackberry and blueberry up front that transitions easily to some lovely earthy notes of tar, tobacco and cocoa midpalate.  The dusty tannins provide shapely structure to support the long, smooth and exceptionally dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as the Perigee is one of the most consistent, classic Bordeaux style blends produced in the Walla Walla Valley today.  This wine would be excellent with classic hearty dishes, from lamb to steak, pork tenderloin to steelhead filet.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a prime ribcap grilled rare atop some grilled leeks with some grilled asparagus and pureed potatoes with a Merlot reduction.  Cheers!

2015 Colossal Reserva Red Wine

Happy Wine Wednesday!  Tonight I've decided to open a wine I bought at Costco recently that hails from Portugal.  I know I have at least one bottle of Portuguese wine in my cellar, but this one was such a bargain at $9, I couldn't resist (mental note, this could be a nice wine club selection).  The wine is a blend of Touriga Nacional (30%), Syrah (30%), Tinta Roriz (30%) and Alicante Bouschet (10%).  There are some unfamiliar names on those varietals, so let's get some education out of the way.  Touriga Nacional is known as one of the signature grapes of Portugal, characterized by small berries with high tannins, which typically adds structure to the wine.  It's been more used for port, but is becoming more common in table wine.  Tinta Roriz is the name for Tempranillo on the Portuguese side of the border.  And Alicante Bouschet is an interesting varietal (I reviewed one quite some time ago from Coppola here) that adds a lot of color and body as well as some jammy fruit.  So enough learning, time for drinking!

The wine is a lovely inky red color in the glass, a hat tip to the Alicante Bouschet in the blend.  The nose presents some delicate floral aromas intermingled with a peppery spice, but very little fruit.  The taste is just a complete 180, with a quick blast of ripe red fruit, cherry, raspberry and plum that transitions quickly to some wonderful earthy grass, basalt and tobacco notes midpalate.  The finish is exceptionally dry and smooth, with the big tannins of the Touriga Nacional providing the nice structure and big, velvety mouthfeel.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, it's such an interesting blend that defies the stereotypes of red blends.  It's a wonderful combination of great flavor with solid structure that make it a great steak wine, whether grilled steak, braised short rib tacos or a traditional roast, this is an ideal meat wine.  Tonight I'm enjoying this one with a rare grilled prime ribcap, big honkin' baked potato with all the fixin's and some steamed sugar snaps.  Cheers!

2015 Kivelstadt Cellars Father's Watch Red Blend

Tonight has been a remarkably warm evening, and since I just got back from the gym, I feel as though I need a glass of wine and a nice dinner.  For the wine, I've decided to open a bottle of 2015 Kivelstadt Cellars Father's Watch Red Blend, a blend of Syrah (35%), Carignan (30%), Grenache (35%) and Mourvedre (10%) from the North Coast of California.  Given that I'm having a little Asian inspired seafood for dinner, I thought a lighter red blend might be appropriate, so let's see how this one tastes!

The wine is a bright ruby color in the glass, with great clarity.  The nose is a wonderful combination of spring floral aromas intermingled with ripe cherry and plum over some mild note of fresh cut grass.  The taste is a rush of tart cherry and blackberry that transitions easily to come earthy mineral and notes of peat midpalate.  The finish is quite dry, with rather tight tannins that seem to cut the finish a bit short.

Overall, I would rare this wine a solid 7.5, as it's pleasant drinking and food friendly, but it somewhat lacks that wow factor.  This wine would pair well with a variety of Mediterranean dishes, seafood or even summer fare of barbecue or hamburgers.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a sesame crusted Ahi tuna filet along with sauteed baby bok choy and steamed jasmine rice.  Cheers!

2014 Cellier des Princes Reserve Chateaunneuf du Pape

Happy St. Patrick's Day!  This is always a challenging holiday for wine, what with all the green beer floating around, but I figured since this is a Catholic holiday I might as well go right to the top and try the wine of the pope on this St. Patty's Day!  Tonight I've opened a rather young bottle, the 2014 Cellier des Princes Reserve Chateaunneuf du Pape, a blend of Grenache (90%), Syrah (5%) and Mourvedre (5%) in this father of GSM blends.  So let's see how this one tastes!

The wine is a lighter ruby color in the glass with great clarity, just as you'd expect from a wine so heavy on Grenache.  The nose presents aromas of fresh strawberries, rhubarb, floral notes of violets and a bit of green grass.  The taste is mindblowingly different that what you'd expect from the nose, this is a rush of ripe red berries, currant, strawberries, raspberries and tart cherry that just envelop your palate before transitioning ever so gently to some mineral and green tea notes midpalate.  The tannins are soft, providing for a very smooth, dry finish with just a small reprise of tart cherry.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, it's drinking surprisingly well right now, but will no doubt improve with another few years in the cellar.  This wine would be ideal with many of those dishes that are so hard to pair with red wine, like chicken, turkey, milder fish and of course, corned beef and cabbage!  Given the holiday, this is my one day of the year to stink up the house with a crock pot full of corned beef, carrots, red potatoes and cabbage.  The fruit in this wine offers just the right amount of sweetness to counter the salty, fatty richness of the corned beef.  Cheers!

2006 L'Ecole No. 41 Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon

Happy Cellar Saturday!  It's the first Saturday of the month, that magical day when I raid the cellar for something at least a decade old to enjoy.  Well tonight it was literally a bottle I stumbled upon in the cellar, as several weeks ago I was looking for a bottle of French wine and happened upon this bottle misplaced in the section where all the Bordeaux are sitting, the 2006 L'Ecole No. 41 Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon, so given that this is the first weekend of Washington Wine Month, it seems like an appropriate choice.  So let's see how this one has matured since I got it about 10 years ago!

Now keep in mind, I decanted this wine for about an hour before tasting.  The wine is a lovely color in the glass, with deep, inky purple at the center, garnet along the edges with just a hint of brown.  The nose is such a smack in the head, as it instantly brings back memories of tasting this wine when it was new, wonderfully earthy notes of leather, grass and peat over some start minerality, but then layered on that is some clear signs of maturity, roast meat, olive tapenade and rich herb notes.  How amazing that I feel like I'm done and I haven't even had a sip yet!  The taste is nothing like the aromas, you're greeted with a rush of ripe black fruit, cherry, plum and currant that transitions effortlessly to some earthy spice notes and olive midpalate.  The tannins are mature and well balanced, providing for an exceptionally smooth, voluptuous dry finish.

I was expecting this wine to be a nice cabernet, but man this was just a sensory experience that bordered on overload!  Overall, I'd rate this wine a solid 9.5 easy, as it's just a phenomenal Cabernet, and it wasn't even the top of the line wine from L'Ecole back in 2006!  This wine would pair exceptionally well with steak, wild game, roasts, or as I'm enjoying tonight, some wonderful Italian dishes!  I'm enjoying this wine with some pasta I picked up at Eataly a few weeks ago, topped with some Italian sausage marinara, but who am I kidding, I'll be enjoying this wine for the rest of the evening, long after dinner is through!  Cheers!

2015 Helix Columbia Valley Rose

Happy Sunday!  It's been unbelievably hot and humid here, today it's 91 and 69% humidity which makes it feel like 104!  I had to laugh last week when I was in California and a couple at the hotel were complaining about how humid it was that day and the humidity was only 31%!  They had no idea what heat and humidity were!  Although I immediately start sweating when I go outside, the only good thing is that we are smack dab in the heart of rose season, and tonight I've opened a bottle that's been sitting here for a couple months - I promised not to open it since it was shipped to me so close to bottling and it needed to settle, so I couldn't open it until at least the 4th of July, but you know how patient I can be!  This latest wine for the Summer of Rose is the 2015 Helix Columbia Valley Rose from the Reininger Winery in Walla Walla.

The wine is a deep pink color in the glass that makes it almost look like a red wine.  The nose presents aromas of watermelon, strawberry and cut grass, with just a hint of citrus along with some floral notes of rose petals.  The taste is lovely, with some fresh fruit notes up front, strawberry and some bright citrus that transitions to some wonderful mineral notes midpalate.  The finish is crisp and very dry, perfect for a warm summer evening on the patio.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, it's a great summer rose with a lot of complexity and a great value at under $20!  This would be a great summer salad wine, perfect for fresh greens or a nice caprese salad with heirloom tomatoes and fresh basil.  But tonight I'm going a more traditional Pacific Northwest route and am enjoying this wine with an alder planked wild Alaska coho salmon filet with lemon and fresh dill along with some steamed basmati rice and oven roasted Brussels sprouts.  The crispness of the wine is a perfect accent to the richness of the salmon.  Cheers!

2012 DaMa Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

My Christmas break has officially begun as I'm now off work until January 4, so get excited for new posts, some of which may be in the middle of the afternoon...you never know!  Tonight as I have my last pre-holiday dinner, I've decided to open a bottle of 2012 DaMa Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, my first taste since the 2009 vintage (though I still have a bottle of 2011).

The wine is a deep ruby color with nice clarity.  The nose presents aromas of blackberry, cassis, fresh cut grass and a bit of tar.  The taste is quote nice, with a blast of cherry cola up front that transitions to some lovely earthy notes of dusty limestone and white pepper midpalate.  The tannins are somewhat soft, providing a nice base for the long, dry and voluptuous finish that practically dares you to take another sip.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, it's drinking very nicely now but will likely improve a bit with some time in the bottle.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, one of my all time favorite Christmas movies.  Of course I'm also having a nice Kansas City cut bone-in New York Strip, baked potato and some steamed broccoli, but this wine would go well with almost any steak.  Cheers!

2014 The Vincent Columbia Valley Rose

Summer is apparently having its revenge in the last few weeks it will be around, as it's just been incredibly hot and humid this week.  I sure am glad I had the foresight to bring back ample bottles of nice Washington rose wine to help combat the heat!  Tonight I have opened a bottle of 2014 "The Vincent" Columbia Valley Rose wine from Mark Ryan Winery's Board Track Racer label.  Back in 2013, I reviewed the 2012 vintage which you can see here: Link, so let's see how this one stacks up!

The color strikes me as a bit more orange-pink, but quite deep and vibrant.  I don't have the technical specifications, but my sense is that this one is still a GSM blend, but likely with a bit more emphasis on the Syrah.  The nose presents lovely, earthy aromas of cut grass and iron, intermingled with some floral and citrus notes.  The taste is a vibrant rush of strawberry, grapefruit and lime that eases into some nice mineral notes midpalate.  The finish is just bone dry, a perfect summer refresher for my palate!

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, the flavor is all there and the structure is very pleasant, and to top it off, this was a terrific value at about $15!  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with some maple glazed wild Alaskan Coho on a bed of baby kale and arugula, some steamed wild rice and green beans, a perfect summer dinner.  Cheers!

2012 Helix Columbia Valley Rose

So today it was about 80 degrees, but the humidity went way up so it felt stifling, which I guess is natures friendly reminder that it's rose season!  That glorious warm and sunny time of year when it's just grand to enjoy a chilled glass of rose on the patio.  Tonight I've decided to open a bottle of 2012 Helix Columbia Valley Rose, a limited production from Reininger Winery of Walla Walla.

The color is a deep pink, truly the color of a nice rose.  The nose is lovely combination of cool citrus, strawberry and watermelon notes.  The taste is blast of summer right from the outset, fresh fruit flavors of strawberry and watermelon with a hint of fresh cut grass transports you to your favorite picnic spot.  The acidity is well balanced and the dry finish seems to last 30 seconds or more, just long enough to get you to your next sip.

Overall I would rate this wine a solid 8, it's a delicious, crisp and refreshing rose that's sure to get you through the dog days of summer, or if you're like me, looking out on the patio as a thunderstorm rolls in!  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with some seared sea scallops over a bed of baby greens tossed in aged white balsamic, some toasted pine nut couscous and fresh picked steamed asparagus.  And if this bottle lasts, I might enjoy my last glass with a dessert of fresh strawberries over shortbread, cheers!

2007 Quarto Ducale Rosso di Cerignola

Ahhh...hump day (cue the camels) and what better day to enjoy a nice bottle of wine than the middle of the week as we are heading rapidly towards a holiday weekend!  Have I mentioned that we should be incredibly excited this year as Memorial Day falls as early as it possibly can while Labor Day falls as late as it possibly can which means this is going to be the longest summer humanly possible!  So to celebrate I've opened a bottle of 2007 Quarto Ducale Rosso di Cerignola, a blend of Uva di Troia and Negroamaro from Puglia, better known as the heel of the Italian boot!

The wine is a lighter color, somewhere between a pinot noir and a syrah.  The nose is very interesting, with a tart combination of cherry, fresh cut grass and spice box over hints of leather and prune,  The taste is quite nice, with some rich black fruit up front, blackberry, cherry and plum that transitions nicely to some notes of cardamom and minerals.  The finish is smooth with a velvety mouthfeel amid a final rush of flavor that reminds me of an Italian grandmother.

Overall I would rate this wine a solid 7.5, it's a very nice example of the wine and a terrific value at around $15.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with some grilled terriyaki glazed pork tenderloin along with some grilled asparagus and steamed wild rice.  The wine is ideal for pork as the ample fruit makes a nice foil to the other white meat.  Cheers!

2012 La Chosa Joven Rioja

Ahhh...hump day of a holiday-shortened week, what could be better?  How about a bottle of Rioja?  You know how I love the tempranillo, so tonight I've opened a bottle of 2012 La Chosa Joven Rioja, a wine I got a month or so ago from Wines Till Sold Out, so I figure what the heck, I'll give it a try.

The wine is a lighter ruby color in the glass, with nice clarity.  The nose is quite aromatic, with aromas of red fruit, cherry, strawberry and currant overlaid with some floral and spice notes, black pepper, hints of anise, as well as some earthy notes of grass and cedar.  The taste is very fruit forward, with a blast of cherry and strawberry that quickly transitions to some mineral notes of iron and graphite midpalate.  The finish is quite warm, with some spice notes intermingled with the subdued tannins providing a bit of structure for the moderately dry finish.

Overall I would rate this wine a solid 7, it was a nice example of the varietal at a terrific bargain price of just $10!  Tonight I am pairing this wine with some chicken, baked potato and some grilled vegetables, but it would also pair nicely with a variety of soft cheeses and olives for a pleasant appetizer, as the fruit and spice notes practically cry out for something smooth and creamy to pair with.  Cheers!

2013 Charles & Charles Post No. 35 Cabernet Sauvignon Syrah Blend -Columbia Valley

Well here we are, my first post of September.  I'll freely admit I've been slacking off at the end of August and should have made a number of posts, but with family visiting from out of town and holiday excursions it was a tough life!  But now I'm back in the saddle and tonight I've opened a rather young wine, the 2013 Charles & Charles Post No. 35 Red Blend, a nice little blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah from the Columbia Valley of Washington.  I admit that in my visits to Walla Walla, I've been past the Charles Smith tasting room, but have never had the opportunity to stop in, either I was on my way somewhere else or they were closed when I came by, but at least now I've tried one of their wines!

The wine is a lovely deep ruby color in the glass.  The nose is a wonderful combination of ripe fruit, leather and lovely warm spice notes, over just a hint of tar and cut grass.  The tastes is actually reasonable given its youth and immaturity (oh for the days when I was youthful and immature!), with a nice bit of black fruit, currant, black cherry and cocoa power with just the faintest hint of rose petals midpalate.  The finish is somewhat subdued, as the fruit and spice subside, the young tannins give structure to a soft but very dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this one a solid 7.5, it's a very nice table wine blend at a great price - I bought this at G.B. Russo's in Grand Rapids for just $10!  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with leftovers from all the labor day grilling we did over the weekend, some brats, grilled veggies, dill pasta and cucumber salad and broccoli slaw.  But this wine would work just as well with a nice steak or big beef dish, or some nice pasta with red sauce, as the wine has enough character to stand up to those big flavors without being overpowering.  Cheers!

2011 Marques de la Musa Garnacha

So tonight I've decided to open a bottle of our next office wine club selection, I guess that's the privilege of being in charge of the wine club! And the selection is the 2011 Marques de la Musa Garnacha, a lovely Grenache from Spain that I think would be a lovely accompaniment to the upcoming holiday dinners!

The wine is a somewhat darker color than you might often expect from a typical Grenache.  The nose presents a very pleasant aromas of strawberry, raspberry cut grass, forest floor and herbs.  The taste is very pleasant, with flavors of ripe, sweet berries, tar and black pepper that transition to some wonderful Asian spice and plum sauce midpalate.  The tannins are well structured, leading to a velvety mouthfeel and long, dry finish, a very pleasant and easy drinking wine.

Overall I would rate this wine a solid 7, it's nothing spectacular but a pleasant everyday wine and a terrific value that I found at G.B. Russo's for $6 plus tax!  Tonight I am enjoying this with some meatball sliders and a nice salad, but it would be great with some turkey, cranberries and all the trimmings.  In other words, an ideal holiday wine for Thanksgiving or Christmas.  Cheers!

2010 Maison Nicolas Perrin Syrah Viognier

Tonight's wine is an interesting one that I picked up yesterday at G.B. Russo's and it's interesting for a number of reasons, not least of which is the lesson in bureaucracy I received, though it's that bureaucratic effect that led to my getting this wine at a bargain price!  The winemaker, Nicolas Perrin wanted to make a wine in the style of a Hermitage in the northern Rhone, but at a price that would make it much more approachable to young people (as opposed to $300 a bottle!).  So he came up with a blend of 97% Syrah and 3% Viognier sourced from the northern Rhone.  Unfortunately when it came time to bottle the wine, the French authorities would not allow him to classify it as anything but a "Vin de Table" which was the lowest classification and only allows you to state on the label the producer and that it comes from France.  Then, as he tried to export it to the United States, the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives would not allow him to state a vintage on a "Vin de Table" so he ended up with the very basic label we see before us.  But by 2012, the French had changed their rules creating the "Vin de France" category which allowed a vintage to be added, so now he is changing the label and liquidating all the wine in the old labels, voila!  A bargain!

The wine itself is very dark ruby with a tinge if India ink.  The nose is very rustic, with aromas of peat moss, forest floor and wild herbs, over just a hint of fresh cut grass.  Now keep in mind this wine needs some time to breathe, so you might consider decanting or letting it breathe for an hour or more as I have this evening.  The wine has a very rustic taste up front, with wild herbs, grass and great minerality at the outset, with very mild red fruit that expresses itself nicely midpalate.  The finish is very smooth, as the tannins accent the mineral characteristics and make for a very smooth finish.

Overall I would rate this wine a solid 7.5, as it's not a wine for everyone, but for those who really appreciate the great mineral character and terroir that can be expressed in a wine from the Rhone valley.  As I mentioned earlier, it was also a great bargain at only $8!  The wine would pair well with richer dishes as a nice contrast for heavy cream sauces or sweeter dishes.  Tonight I am pairing this wine with some maple and bourbon glazed roast pork tenderloin, some baby potatoes with butter and parsley and some baby carrots from my garden.  Bon Appetit!

2011 J. Scott Cellars Rendezvous Rose

Well after a couple of weeks of unseasonably cool weather, summer is back in all its glory as it was sunny and hot today!  And of course with summer heat back, what can follow but a nice chilled rose wine, and tonight it's the 2011 J. Scott Cellars Rendezvous dry rose wine from Oregon!  I bought this bottle at the Portland airport of all places, as I flew through PDX on my way home from my Walla Walla vacation earlier this summer.

The wine is a nice peach color in the glass, not a pure pink but with more of an orange tint to it.  The nose has wonderful notes of grass, mild citrus and strawberry notes and some lovely floral overtones.  The taste is quite interesting, with your typical bright citrus notes, some strawberries, and then toward the end, out of nowhere there is a taste of Champagne, not overwhelming, but just a flavor that made me think of sparkling wine.  The finish is very dry, which probably explains a bit of the sparkling wine flavor, and the tannins are nicely structured to support the finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 7.5, it wasn't spectacular, but it was a very solid rose effort, and a pretty good value at only $15 at the airport!  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a lovely summer dinner of stuffed scallops and a salad of mixed spring greens and white balsamic.  This wine would also be good with a nice salmon fillet, or just by itself as I could easily see myself sipping this one on the patio as the sun goes down and the evening cools off.  Cheers!

2011 Da Da Da Merlot

First a bit of business for those of you who were expecting another Cellar Saturday last weekend, I apologize!  You see, it was my 25th High School reunion last Saturday, so I decided to go back to Chicago for that and thus I didn't have a Cellar Saturday on the proper first Saturday, so instead for this month we will ha Cellar Saturday on the second one!  I hope you can all forgive me!  Now on to tonight's feature, the 2011 Da Da Da Merlot that my colleague gave me today for helping her, as this was a bottle she bought in a variety 6-pack from Nakedwines.com, so I figured what the heck I'll try it!  It's also from Lodi, so it has that going for it, even though it's not a Zin...

The wine is a little lighter in color than your typical merlot, with a color similar to many pinot noirs. The nose has some nice jammy fruit notes of blackberry, strawberry and some prune, and over the top there are some fresh herbs and cut grass.  The taste is very fruit forward, with some tart cherry up front that transitions easily to some toasted oak and herbs midpalate.  The tannins are somewhat soft on this wine, leading to a rather short, lackluster finish.

Overall I would rate this wine a 6.5, it's not a spectacular merlot, but it's easy to drink and a pretty good value for around $8.  As for pairing, tonight I'm enjoying it with a rare grilled NY strip with some grilled golden beets and fresh sweet corn that I picked up from a farm stand yesterday.  The wine works well with the veggies but does get a bit lost with the bold flavors of the steak.  In any case, for a free wine I can't complain too much!

2009 Chateau des Moines Montagne Saint-Emilion

Tonight I've decided to open a bottle of Bordeaux from the very solid 2009 vintage to enjoy with my dinner, the 2009 Chateau des Moines Montagne Saint-Emilion (wow I certainly hope this doesn't taste like wine made in Des Moines!).  Now for those unfamiliar with Bordeaux, the Montagne Saint-Emilion is an AOC that is just to the north of Saint-Emilion proper, as one of the satellites of the Saint-Emilion vineyard.  The wine itself is a rather different Bordeaux blend of Merlot (75%), Cabernet Franc (20%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (5%) which could lend itself to some interesting notes.

The wine is a lovely deep purple color in the glass with a bright ruby around the edges.  The nose is quite refined with hints of blackberry and prune, along with aromas of leather and cut grass with just the faintest hint of the Bordeaux funk!  The taste is quite fruit forward, with flavors of blackberry and ripe cherry that seems to last but an instant before we transition to some lovely limestone notes.  The tannins are nicely structured, but they are big, leading to a wonderful long, dry finish that is just classic Bordeaux.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, as it's a very nice wine for drinking every day that goes well with a variety of dishes.  And it was a bargain too, as I bought this one from Wines Till Sold Out for just $12!  Tonight I am pairing this with a nice rare ribeye with a baked potato and a lovely spinach salad with bleu cheese, dried cranberries and white balsamic, yum!

2012 Mark Ryan "The Vincent" Rose

So as some of you know, though I am not a white wine drinker per se, I've come to appreciate the more chilling aspects of white wine in the summer months, hence my more recent fondness for rose wines - great blends of traditionally red wine grapes to provide a refreshing summer respite without the sweetness that can be so common among white wines.  With a wonderful sunny, summer afternoon developing, and after the wonderful dinner I had paired with a rose last night, I've decided to open another rose that I picked up last week in Walla Walla, the 2012 Mark Ryan "The Vincent" rose, from his very affordable second label, Board Track Racer.  Another interesting note about this wine is that although I bought this at Mark Ryan's new tasting room on Main Street in Walla Walla, the winery is based out of Woodinville, the new hot area for Washington Wine (leave it to me to stick with a wine region after all the cool kids leave!).

The wine itself is a blend of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre, though I didn't pick up the tasting notes, so I have no idea what the exact percentages are, in any case who wouldn't love a GSM rose?  The nose on this wine is very subdued, with pleasant notes of strawberry and some faint floral and grass notes.  The tastes is quite nice, with a bit of fresh strawberry on the outset that shifts to some nice minerality midpalate.  The finish is very dry with just a hint of pink grapefruit on the mildly acidic finish.  Overall a very refreshing and dry rose that's just perfect for a summer afternoon on the patio.

Overall I would rate this one a solid 8, a very nice rose that I loved in the tasting room and like just as much at home, and it was a good value at just $15.  Today I am pairing this one with a lovely Caprese salad, with some sliced red and brown tomatoes and fresh buffalo mozzarella, drizzled with extra virgin olive oil and some 25-year balsamic and topped with a few sprigs of fresh basil from the garden.  The dryness and mild acidity of the wine provide the perfect balance to the sweetness of the aged balsamic and creaminess of the cheese.  What a great afternoon, salut!